Sorry, I Had the Wrong Idea

“I tried my best mama, please don’t kill me! I’ll ace the test next time, I promise,” Shireen squealed, trembling in her chair.

“Now why would you think I would do something like that?” mother asked as sparks flew off the sharpening stone everytime it struck the knife in her hand. “You tried your best and that’s all that matters.”

“You’re right mama, I don’t know why I thought that at all,” Shireen pondered as she tried but failed to scratch her head with her tied hands. “I’m going back to my room to study.”

“Don’t tire yourself out dear. And remember, I love you,” mother called out as Shireen limped through the bloodstained room filled with corpses.